


Getting the Scent

by chrissy_sky, TerraTenshi



Series: Rescue Tim [5]
Category: DCU - Comicverse, DCU Animated, Smallville
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Humor, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Pheromones, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-13
Updated: 2012-03-13
Packaged: 2017-11-01 22:10:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/361820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chrissy_sky/pseuds/chrissy_sky, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TerraTenshi/pseuds/TerraTenshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rescue Tim prequel. Conner thinks Dick Grayson smells… really good. Or does he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Getting the Scent

**Author's Note:**

> Contains speculations on Kryptonian biology.
> 
> This is an explanation, of sorts, of a thing mentioned briefly in A Family Affair. (Conner really likes Tim’s smell.) We’re working on the supposition that a Kryptonian is initially attracted to potential mates by smell. (He also emits calming pheromones on Tim, but that’s not really something we’re getting into yet.)

~~~

 

Dick Grayson let himself into the apartment—through the door instead of the window. He was a semi-regular visitor and despite some initial mistrust between him and Luthor, he was not there to spy on the happy couple. He was just checking in on his little brother, Jason Todd.

 

He too had been concerned about Lex Luthor being around Jason. There was just a huge difference between his toleration of it and the League’s—he was actually around the two of them. He came to the Red Hood watchtower; he saw first hand, more or less, how Luthor and Jason’s relationship had evolved. They had, apart from the mutual but unrecognized attraction, started as business partners. That had become a rather unique friendship, and then a tentative romance. Now, Jason even had partial custody of Luthor’s kids—if anything ever happened to Lex Luthor (all too likely, if the JLU got their way) then Jason would be getting the three kids. Not some random Luthor relative, not the state, and especially not the crazy ex-wives. They weren’t married, but Luthor’s lawyers had worked lesser miracles on his behalf.

 

That had really been what convinced Dick about Luthor. The man was almost fanatical about the safety of his children. Letting Jason be that much a part of their lives was _huge_.

 

“Hey Jase!” he called into the nearly quiet apartment. “You guys home?”

 

“Yes, nosey,” answered Jason, from the direction of the sitting area. He found his brother sitting at the table, in his chair, playing with the two youngest kids, Lena and Julian. All three had heads of bright red hair, so much so that they really looked like Jason’s—only his hair was straight and theirs was very curly.

 

They were playing with toys—My Little Ponies and Transformers again.

 

“Just coming by to see you, little bro.”

 

Jason rolled his eyes. As a kid, there would have been disdain in the expression, but he had softened over time where it was almost fond. “Uh huh. What do you want?”

 

“Is there still pie?”

 

Jason laughed and shook his head. “In the fridge, help yourself.”

 

Dick grinned and dashed into the kitchen. Befitting the size of the rest of the apartment, this was no tiny kitchenette—it was large and fully stocked. Dick often came to raid their stash for food, and Jason accused him of just coming over for his food.

 

This was only part of the reason, but food was important.

 

-

 

Jason looked up from the epic battle of ponies and Autobots—never mind that they were both good guys and were currently fighting over the last Oreo cookies—to see his eldest walk in.

 

The resemblance to Superman was very minimal in times like this. Conner had just woken, so he was yawning hugely, had an amusing case of bed head, and still wore his pajama bottoms and faded Wendy the Werewolf Stalker T-Shirt.

 

“Mornin’, guys,” said the boy around another yawn.

 

Jason smiled. “Hey, kiddo. Get something to eat, then do something with your hair. Your Dad's gonna be here this afternoon.”

 

Conner perked up a little. “Cool, okay.” He hesitated for a moment. “Bart wanted to know if he can come visit?”

 

Up late chatting with his new friend. Jason felt a surge of smugness—he’d known introducing Conner to more metahuman teens had been a good idea. Lex worried it would be exposing Conner too much to the influence and hatred outside their circle of friends and allies. The kids, Jason argued, were not nearly so closed-minded, and the little Speedster was a good kid.

 

“Anytime he wants, as long as we don't have a big mission or you don’t have homework.”

 

Conner smiled and nodded. “’Kay,” he said, before shuffling into the kitchen.

 

Jason turned his attention back to Julian and Lena, absently sending a text message to his lover, who was working in his office in Metropolis at the moment.

 

_Con & Bart R fnds. Told you._

 

_Nobody likes hearing ‘told you so,’ my dearest,_ Lex sent back.

 

_OK, sexy. Done taking over world yet?_

 

_Getting there,_ Lex responded. _Be home soon._

 

-

 

As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, Conner’s senses were assaulted by a _delicious_ smell. He saw Nightwing, in civvies, leaning against a counter and eating a big piece of cherry pie.

 

“Hey Con,” greeted the elder hero, comfortable enough to refer to him by his nickname. “Rough night?”

 

Conner blinked at him, trying to focus on words and not the smell. “I was talking to Bart, lost track of time. That smells good.”

 

Dick grinned. He was tall, attractive and had a nice, easygoing smile. It was hard not to like him. “Not the most nutritious breakfast, but the cherries are probably good for you. Want one?”

 

Conner nodded. “Yeah, thanks.”

 

Dick cut another slice of the pie, getting Conner a plate and fork before handing it over. The teen took an eager bite, the smell making him suddenly ravenous, but no matter how good the pie tasted, it hardly quenched his hunger.

 

Bringing it to his nose and sniffing it, Conner was surprised to realize that the smell was _not_ _the pie_. The pie just smelled like a normal cherry pie—this other smell was different.

 

Then Dick moaned happily as he ate and the metahuman recognized his mistake.

 

The smell was Dick Grayson.

 

Conner blushed and cleared his throat nervously, suddenly unsure of himself. He hadn’t felt anything like this before, as embarrassing as that was to think about. He thought a lot of the girls that worked for his stepfather were pretty, and Roy was attractive in a scruffy sort of way, but it hadn’t been like _this_. They didn’t make him feel like he wanted to tear their clothes off and fuck them into the marble counters.

 

He thought his fathers might take offense to spunk on their cooking surfaces, so he held himself back. His siblings were _in the next room,_ for crying out loud!

 

Dick glanced up at him. “Okay, Conner?”

 

“Yeah,” he answered, fixing his gaze onto his largely untouched pie. He wasn’t really hungry for food now.

 

“Not running a fever, are you?”

 

Then Dick was _right there,_ far too close, touching Conner’s forehead. The smell was even stronger now and the teen nearly shuddered in ecstasy.

 

_Holy fuck._ Nothing had ever been like this, he’d never been touched by someone he wanted to have sex with, it was too much. Conner kept his eyes tightly closed.

 

“I don’t get sick,” he managed.

 

“Really? Because you’re pretty flushed, too.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yeah.” He felt Dick draw away and set his plate down. “Maybe I should get Jase…”

 

“I’m fine, really,” the teen said quickly. He did not want to explain this to his stepfather.

 

“Sure?”

 

Conner nodded.

 

“’Kay.” Dick sounded doubtful.

 

He mumbled a quick farewell and darted from the kitchen, away from the temptation of a compact, acrobatic body, and the smell of his mate that was driving him crazy.

 

He had no idea how he was going to tell Jason that he wanted to be with his brother. In a very physical and forever sense. It was weird that this had never come up in any of his other meetings with Dick, but what else could it mean?

 

-

 

Jason didn’t notice anything unusual until Conner had sat down at the table with him and the little ones. The playtime was undisturbed, though he had used a Pound Puppy to negotiate a peace treaty between Optimus Prime and Princess Celestia. (Though he had a feeling that the negotiations would be interrupted by a sneak attack from Nightmare Moon, Megatron, and one of Lex’s old Battle Angel figures that he _knew_ wasn’t supposed to be out of the plastic.)

 

The teen sighed forlornly and Jason blinked at him. “Okay there, brat?” he asked, grateful that Conner felt comfortable enough to let him use the nickname, especially when he meant nothing by it. In the beginning, Conner had been supremely sensitive about that sort of thing.

 

Conner nibbled at a piece of pie and nodded.

 

“Mind if I use your shower?” Dick asked, emerging from the kitchen.

 

Jason nodded absently, mostly focused on his teenage son, and the way he blushed at the sound of Dick’s voice. “Sure, mooch. Go on, primp up for your date or whatever.”

 

“Not a date, weirdo.”

 

“Uh huh. Slut.”

 

Dick snorted as he disappeared into the hall bathroom, while Lena raised her head.

 

“Ooo, Papa said a bad word!”

 

The children had been referring to him as their ‘papa’ for a couple years now. He was way too young to be a father, but it never bothered him. Somehow, it just seemed weirdly right. Like he was finally where he belonged. Jason had trouble explaining it to everyone but Hartley and Roy, who totally got it.

 

“Did not. Just don't go repeating that to your Daddy.”

 

Conner made a distressed noise, a keening in the back of his throat. “He’s not…!”

 

“He’s not what?” Jason asked, blinking at him curiously.

 

Conner blushed all the more. “Nothin’.”

 

Jason eyed the teen suspiciously. Something had gone on in the kitchen, he just knew it. He felt him for a fever, despite knowing that he never got sick, but he wasn’t inordinately warm.

 

“M’fine,” Conner mumbled.

 

“Sure, kiddo? Maybe you should go lie back down.” He could text Lex back and let him know Conner probably shouldn’t be out in public, no matter how good this event thing in Gotham was for the teen’s secret identity.

 

Conner shook his head, his eyes darting in the direction of the bathroom, and Jason was almost positive he would be texting Lex again soon. Lex would take off early in a heartbeat.

 

It was perfectly normal for Conner to have a crush—healthily so, in fact— _but Dick of all people?!_

 

Then the teen started sneaking glances at him and visibly withered.

 

Cursing himself, realizing his expression probably looked very disapproving, though it had never been about the boy. “C’mere,” he said, tugging his eldest closer.

 

Conner scooted closer willingly, leaning his head on Jason’s shoulder, and he could feel the pheromones that the metahuman normally gave off when he relaxed. They were comforting pheromones and worked wonders on Lena and Julian when they had nightmares.

 

He tucked Conner’s head under his chin, as if he were a much smaller child. “Good boy.”

 

Jason smiled as Conner began to make a strange, almost purring sound. Another Kryptonian thing that he was sure most people did not know about Superman or his cousin Kara. They purr when they’re happy. It was adorable.

 

Of course, it was less adorable imagining Superman doing it. For his treatment of Conner, Jason often thought about the ways he could try to kill the full Kryptonian. He was doing that again as Dick wandered out of the bathroom, towel drying his long hair.

 

“What I miss?” Dick asked curiously, blue eyes wide and totally unsuspecting.

 

Poor bastard. Jason would need some time to adjust to the idea of his son fucking his big brother, but they would make sure it was what Conner really wanted. Then he would seriously give consideration to having Pamela make some sort of pollen for Dick to keep the older man from straying…

 

Maybe it was a little evil, but fuck, this was Conner’s first crush! And it was on Dick. He thought he was in the right to overreact.

 

Conner lifted his head, looking at Dick in surprise. He was no longer blushing and looked much more normal. “Nothing,” the teen answered and Jason knew that Conner hadn’t really been answering Dick’s question.

 

Dick grinned, still not noticing a thing. “Well, I should probably go. Gonna meet Babs later and I've still got some other things to do.”

 

Jason nodded, eyes on his stepson. “Sure.”

 

He paid little attention to Dick sauntering back out. “You alright, kid?” he asked, once his brother was gone.

 

Conner nodded slowly. “I guess…”

 

“Wanna talk about it?”

 

“Sure.” Conner gave a shy shrug. “I'm not sure what just happened though.”

 

“You were feeling something?”

 

“I thought so. I was in the kitchen and thought that Dick smelled really good. I... really, _really_ liked it.” His blush returned but it was a little sheepish this time.

 

“And now?”

 

“Since he got out of the shower, the smell's gone. So’s the feeling.”

 

“Huh, okay. Could it be someone he met with?”

 

Conner looked a little more hopeful. “Maybe. It didn't seem like cologne. More... organic, maybe. It made me hungry.” He blushed more.

 

“Well, most of Dick's friends are heroes so there's that.” They were likely to eventually figure out who it had been.

 

Conner nodded, looking steadily better about the whole thing. Dick not having that smell anymore must have really bothered him, with the budding feelings.

 

Jason squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. “We’ll find them for you, kid. Whoever it is.” He couldn’t understand, not really, the things Conner was going through. Neither Jason nor Lex had any basis of comparison, other than all teenagers universally being hormonal and going through changes.

 

“So it’s okay?”

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

Conner cuddled close, emitting more happy purring. “Okay.”

 

Jason smiled fondly. “Now, go get dressed before your dad gets home.”

 

“Okay.” Conner pulled away and rushed off to deal with his hair and get dressed. Jason and the kids finished off the slice of pie.

 

-

 

His friend, Tam Fox, was waiting for him in the park bench when he finally arrived. Tim Drake was nearly fifteen minutes late.

 

He half-jogged the rest of the distance to her. “Sorry.”

 

Tam had a book in her lap, the breeze catching her dark hair gently, and her brown eyes brightened when she looked up. She didn’t seem mad. “Hey, stranger.”

 

Tim smiled shyly, relieved. “Hey, Tam.”

 

He hadn’t been able to meet with her in nearly three months, so apart from a few emails that he could send with his restricted non-Robin related internet use, he hadn’t been keeping touch with her. He had too few friends to just go ignoring them, but it couldn’t be helped. Tim just wished he could explain, sometimes.

 

_My father is Batman, I’m the newest Robin, and he’s very concerned about my safety. I know you think he’s too overprotective, Tam, but he really does know what’s right._ Though he had a feeling that Tam would still find fault with that, somehow. Tim thought it was perfectly reasonable, had since his parents were killed and Bruce Wayne, billionaire and secret vigilante, had adopted him.

 

She scooted over to give him room on the bench. “How are the college courses going?”

 

Tim shrugged, absently rubbing a thumb over his new ring. It was weird getting used to it; he didn’t normally wear ornaments that weren’t part of his Robin suit. “Okay.”

 

Tam’s eyes darted down, as if sensing the movement, but before he could hide the ring she was already leaning over to get a closer look.

 

Tim blushed but let her. “It was Bruce’s idea,” he confided.

 

The ring was silver platinum and was engraved with _My Beloved_ on the front and _I Will Wait For_ on the inside, which Tam could not see. It was pretty embarrassing, but he promised.

 

Actually, Bruce had wanted to him to wear one that said simply _I Will Wait_ in blockier, sterner lettering, and Tim managed to talk him into this one. It would have been easier to pass off to strangers that it was from some sweetheart, avoiding the embarrassment of what it really was.

 

“Is that… a _purity ring_?” she asked, obviously trying not to giggle.

 

Tim blushed more and said nothing, because it was pretty obvious just from his reaction what it was. He had promised, and didn’t believe it was a big deal, but he heard Dick’s reaction to Bruce about it later—Dick had yelled quite a lot and Bruce told him, quite firmly, that it was none of his business.

 

Dick had stormed out, giving Tim a warm hug on the way, and presumably went to Jason’s to tell him the latest news. Tim wished his older brothers wouldn’t do that. It was almost like they were plotting against their father and it wasn’t right.

 

“Well, at least it's kinda cute,” Tam said eventually, trying to be kind but her nose wrinkled in a decidedly _displeased_ way. “Still... You know he's a little obsessive sometimes right?”

 

“He worries,” Tim explained simply.

 

Tam sighed, appearing to just barely resist the urge to roll her eyes. “Okay.”

 

But Tim could tell from her body language that this truly agitated her and that it was anything but okay. He didn’t understand. Didn’t all parents want their children to wait before having sex or starting serious relationships? Tim didn’t have time for a girlfriend or boyfriend at the moment anyway. Bruce kept him busy with his schooling and being Robin.

 

He tugged at his sweater nervously, pulling it off.

 

“It was pretty cold this morning, huh?” His friend changed the subject. “Now it's warm. Insane weather. Snow one day, thunderstorms the next.”

 

Tim smiled gratefully for the topic being dropped. “Everything in Gotham is insane.”

 

She laughed and Tim smiled sweetly. Tam was about to say something else, her eyes shining with mischief, when his phone went off.

 

Frowning, he glanced at his watch—not due for another check in, he did it when he first reached the park—and pulled out his phone. “Hello?”

 

“I need you here, Robin,” said Batman, voice rough like gravel.

 

Tim glance at Tam’s falling expression, feeling her disappointment as keenly as his own. He was tempted for just a moment to argue. Bruce was in the office right now—there could be no pending mission that had just cropped up. And Bruce could likely see him from his office window, because the park was right next to Wayne Tower. That was why he chose this location to see Tam. He had even told Bruce the truth of who he was meeting. The man had approved of him associating, in a platonic manner, with Tam Fox, daughter of Lucius Fox.

 

Tim decided it wouldn’t do any good to argue. Bruce never listened.

 

Regardless, Tim had to be the obedient son. The man had been instilling that in him for years. Bruce depended on him to obey.

 

“Of course,” he answered, and almost immediately Bruce hung up.

 

Either it was a mission that he had not known about until now, or Bruce was angry with him.

 

Tam sighed, a mixture of fondness and regret. “Mr. Wayne wanting you home?”

 

Tim fumbled in his bag, trying to put his phone away at the same time. “Yeah, no rest for the wicked and all,” he joked lamely, eventually finding what he was looking for.

 

Two books that Tam had let him borrow—and which Bruce had to approve before he let him read—and handed them to her. “Thanks for letting me borrow them.”

 

“No problem,” said Tam.

 

“I’ll talk to you later,” he said, parting quickly. He swung his bag over his shoulder and, nearly forgetting it, hung his sweater on top of his bag.

 

Then he began to jog in earnest back to Wayne Tower—just it case it was an actual mission.

 

He didn’t notice that his sweater had fallen off its haphazard perch until he went looking for it that evening. When he went back to the park, the sweater was already gone.

 

-

 

It was a few days after the incident with Dick that Conner got permission, since he had shown no other strange behavior, to take his siblings to the park. The bodyguards stayed at the gate to hold off reporters, though a few scattered into the trees in order to catch the more stubborn, spry ones.

 

Conner felt kind of ridiculous to be the center of all the attention. The public had found him interesting as Superboy, but it was never like this. He was an actual _celebrity_ —and unfortunately it wasn’t because he was actually working in the business. Being the son of one of the richest men in the world, and attractive (to some), that made him something of an American prince. Or so that was how the girls on Jason’s team explained it. Conner was really mortified by it.

 

It was easier with the kids at least. He focused more on keeping their pictures from being taken, not setting them on the ground until they were well out of sight of the reporters.

 

Today he set Lena down first and she immediately began tugging him toward the playground portion of the park. Conner smiled fondly and shifted Julian up to his shoulders, so the small boy could look around, as he liked to.

 

Lena glanced up at him, eyes very determined behind her fringe of bright red hair. “Swings.”

 

“Sa’box,” Julian argued.

 

“Swings first!”

 

“Sa’box!”

 

Conner resisted to urge to laugh. You can go on the swings and play in the sandbox.”

 

Lena sighed and reluctantly agreed. It wasn’t easy for her even now to accept that Julian was the baby. For some reason, both siblings had an easier time accepting Conner as their big brother. They never questioned it, and it made him happy. He liked helping take care of them.

 

“Sw'ter,” Julian said suddenly.

 

Conner tried to blink up at him, but all he saw were the small boy’s arms wrapped around his head.

 

One of those arms unlatched from his skull and pointed in the direction of their left. Conner followed his little brother’s directions and soon found a green sweater lying on the ground. It had gotten stuck on a bush, the leaves and branches grasping onto the fine material, but Conner easily tugged it loose. There was no name on the inside tag, and looking around, he could see no one else around that it could belong to. A few joggers, but they were all wearing little shorts and tank tops—they had likely not been running since that morning, when it was much colder.

 

Then he noticed the smell. It was _the_ smell, the one that belonged to his _mate_.

 

He shifted unsteadily, which scared Julian and he absently apologized. He set the small redhead down and let them draw him to the playground, now that the mystery was over, but Kon’s attention was still on the sweater he clutched.

 

He sat nearby as Julian and Lena played on the swings and simply breathed his mate in, getting a real sense of _him_ that he hadn’t been able to before. Conner tried to focus on his siblings, because it was his responsibility to look after them, but the smell as intoxicating.

 

It was definitely male, the scent, and it belonged to someone around Conner’s physical age. His mate must have been with a young female of similar age very recently, which made Conner bite his lip to hold in a growl, heart pounding in fear. Had his mate already found someone?

 

Bringing the sweater closer, he took a deeper whiff. He relaxed as the smell told him the owner had no sexual interest in the female. Other scents around his mate were all mostly male, and belonged to family—two scents he recognized as belonging to Dick and Jason! Conner started to grow excited, before he realized this information didn’t exactly narrow down the suspects anymore than it had before. Jason already thought it could be someone he and Dick knew but whom Conner had never met. This just confirmed it.

 

The sweater also gave off other scents, of ozone and certain types of food. His mate must work around computers and have a very healthy diet. He must also work out pretty regularly, and used a deodorant that Conner didn’t recognize. The shampoo, though, Conner thought he did. Strawberry.

 

The sweater was soft in his hands and showed signs of wear. It must have been a beloved garment of his mate’s. Conner promised to return it to him, someday. For now, he would enjoy this tiny connection to him.

 

He lifted the garment to his face and inhaled deeply, trying not to get aroused from the fragrance.

 

He concentrated, taking deep breaths as Raven and Anthea had taught him to, and eventually clarity returned. He could still smell his mate’s scent, but it didn’t distract him quite as much.

 

Lena and Julian had moved on from the swings to the sandbox by then. Lena had her little plastic bag out and was searching for the tiny shells that hadn’t been sifted from the sand. Julian was digging holes and filling them up at random. He didn’t try to build anything with it and Lena would look through the piles for more shells, pouting at her brother when he occasionally got sand on her pink clothes.

 

Conner approached them, curious, still carrying the sweater. He didn’t want to set it down and risk losing it. “Whatcha doin’, Julie?”

 

“He’s digging,” Lena answered for Julian. It was a habit she had since the boy was still learning how to speak properly.

 

“I can see that,” Conner responded genially, “but why?”

 

“Dunno,” she said.

 

“Julie?” he prodded gently, hoping the boy would answer himself.

 

He did, with a tiny shrug. “Jush diggin’.”

 

“Want some help?” Conner offered.

 

Julian smiled shyly and offered one of the plastic shovels he had brought. Conner helped him dig small holes in the space around them, sometimes filling them up again. Lena would dart in between them to find more of the tiny shells. There was sand collecting under her fingernails that would likely make her pout later.

 

Conner watched her as he dug. “Lena, do you wanna go to the beach?”

 

She nodded, her small red curls bobbing. “Bigger shells.”

 

“We can talk to Dad and Jase about it when we get home.”

 

Lena smiled. “Okay.”

 

“What do you think, Julie? Would the beach be fun? We can build sandcastles there.”

 

Julian gave a small, shy smile and nodded happily.

 

“And play in the waves?” Conner was getting into the idea himself.

 

“If Daddy says it's okay.”

 

Conner grinned. “You’re such a good boy, Julie.” He planted a sloppy kiss on his little brother’s cheek.

 

Julian giggled, rubbed his face, and leaned up to kiss Conner’s cheek wetly in return. The small boy snuggled close even though they were both covered in sand.

 

Conner didn’t care either; he wrapped his arms around Julian and hugged him. “Love you, Julie.”

 

“Love Con,” said the boy.

 

Conner found himself feeling way more happier than usual— _because he had nearly found his mate_ —and swooped both of his siblings up to twirl them both around. Julian giggled and held on, but Lena pouted until he set them down again, yelping her pick up the shells she had dropped. He continued to grin, deliriously happy.

 

If he found his mate, maybe he could come to the beach with them. That’d be nice.

 

He noticed Julian yawn around a giggle and asked, “Tired, Julie?”

 

Julian nodded. “Sorry.”

 

“S’okay.” Conner stooped to pick him up again, kissing his forehead. “Wanna go home?”

 

Lena huffed. “Dun’ wanna.”

 

“I think you cleaned the sandbox out of shells, Lena,” he pointed out reasonably, not wanting her to be angry at Julian. It would totally mess with his happy groove.

 

“Need more,” she said, pouting.

 

“I'll help you look for some at the beach.”

 

She pouted more but nodded.

 

“Sorry, Lena.” He picked her up too and cuddled them both. Lena clung to him and hid her face against his neck while Julian started to fall asleep.

 

Smiling fondly, he carried them to the car, which was being driven by Hope. Sometimes Mercy drove them, but usually only if Lex were with them, and on other occasions it was Anthea.

 

He buckled Julian in first, since he needed to be put in a car seat. This had been hard to learn but now he and Julian had used it for awhile.

 

He turned to the other small redhead. She was brushing sand off her clothes. “Your turn, Le-le.”

 

She sighed. “Can do it myself.”

 

“Aw.” He scooped her up and covered her face in kisses. “I’m sorry, Le-le.”

 

“M’sorry, Le-le,” Julian echoed sleepily, but Lena didn’t seem appeased at all.

 

“Want to play tea party with me when we get home?” Conner suggested softly.

 

Lena brightened. “Promise?”

 

“Mm-hm, I promise.”

 

She held up her pinky finger and Conner hooked his larger one around it immediately, which finally defeated the girl’s pouting.

 

“Can I buckle you in?” Conner asked softly.

 

“Okay.”

 

“Thank you.” Conner smiled and kissed her cheek before helping her in and buckling her into her own booster seat. Lena smoothed down her dress, ladylike, which he thought was cute.

 

He sat down and kept the sweater in his lap through the whole ride home.

 

-

 

Julian fell back asleep on the way. Once the car had pulled to a safe stop, Conner jumped out and collected his siblings before security could, earning some confused looks from them, though he promised them he could handle them. He did most of the time anyway.

 

He carried Julian into the watchtower building, Lena walking beside him. They used the elevator to get back up to their apartment. Inside, Lex and Jason sat next to each other on the couch. They were watching some sort of old TV show—Classic Doctor Who, he guessed, though Conner was more familiar with the new series so he didn’t know which Doctor it was. Jason’s wheelchair was sitting nearby where he could lift himself back into it when he needed to.

 

Conner smiled at them, still feeling fantastic. “Hi, Dad. Hi, Jase.”

 

“Julie got tired?” his father asked, starting to untangle himself from Jason and rise.

 

Conner nodded and offered, “I can put him to bed if you want,” before he got to his feet.

 

Lex blinked. “If you want to, Conner.”

 

“Sure.” He carried his brother’s small weight to his room, tucking him into his bed with the Optimus Prime bed sheets, tucking his Gaff under his arm. He placed a soft kiss on the boy’s forehead before walking out. As an afterthought, he hid the sweater in his own room before going back to the sitting room.

 

He didn’t notice that his feet were no longer touching the floor.

 

-

 

Lex watched his son float back in and almost felt his fiancé vibrate with amusement beside him. Conner didn’t even seem to realize it, if his goofy grin was anything to go by.

 

“Conner?” Lex got his attention gently.

 

“Mm?” Conner hummed. His lashes were half-lidded in some sort of pleasure haze.

 

“You’re floating, son.”

 

Conner blinked and looked down. “Huh.”

 

Jason was smiling. “Happy?”

 

The teen nodded and gave them a dreamy sort of smile.

 

Lex shook his head, feeling a strange mixture of humor and dread. “Our son’s mood swings, Jason,” he managed aloud.

 

“They’re giving you whiplash?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Welcome to teenagerhood.”

 

Lex wanted to argue, say his own adolescence had not been like this, but he didn’t. Jason’s hadn’t been exactly like that either. As tough as their lives had been as teenagers, it made it all the more important that Conner’s life _not_ be like theirs.

 

At that moment, Lena darted out of her room and said, “Tea party!” commandingly. She dragged her floating brother into her room. Lex could hear the gentle tinkling of the real china he had purchased for his daughter as his children set the table. Lena enjoyed her tea parties quite a lot and took them very seriously, hence the real china pieces and not plastic ones.

 

Jason nuzzled against his cheek gently. “You’re worried.”

 

“My son is acting silly and hormonally Kryptonian. Of course I’m worried.”

 

“I think I know what it is.”

 

Lex raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

His lover nodded with a gentle, wry smile. “Yeah. It’s okay. I know it’ll do no good to tell you not to worry, but you shouldn’t.”

 

Lex sighed. He knew how lucky he was to have Jason. He remembered it every morning when he woke up, whether they had spent the night together or not. His work kept him often in Metropolis, but he tried to spend as much time in Gotham as he could. It was hardest on the kids, of course, but Jason needed him too. He had to be there for his family.

 

One day, he would be moving all of them to Metropolis, if not to the capitol. He and Jason had a lot of plans, were always adjusting those plans, and they were happy. He couldn’t believe he was this lucky most of the time. Lex had never had relationships like this before. It was what he had dreamed could only be possible if Clark or Lana would just accept him. But they hadn’t, and Lex set those desires aside.

 

Jason had come as a complete surprise. At first, all Lex wanted was a business association with a young man he thought could become a valuable asset, with enough financial aid. Then getting to know him, he discovered the redhead was more than just a street savvy, hot tempered kid. He was smart and fiercely caring, more dependable than any other friend Lex ever had, and he never tried to deceive him. That Jason returned his admiration at all surprised him. He had no idea what the younger man saw in him, but he was forever grateful to the fates for allowing it.

 

And he was grateful he had allowed himself to feel this, to pursue the relationship. He looked into Jason’s eyes and knew he wanted to marry this person. He could really see himself with him the rest of his life, and it wasn’t just a dream. It was different than every other relationship before. With Clark, with Lana, and with all the others, it had always only felt like he was dreaming.

 

Jason Todd was reality, and a wonderful, brilliant one.

 

Conner eventually emerged from Lena’s bedroom. He was no longer floating, but he still looked happy about something.

 

“Hi…”

 

Lex smirked. “Hello, Conner. What’s going on?”

 

“Lena’s napping.”

 

“Alright. What’s happened that has you so cheerful?”

 

Conner blushed and shifted nervously, not answering right away.

 

“We're not mad, Con,” Jason told him kindly. “Just curious.”

 

The teen’s voice was very quiet when he finally answered, but Lex could make out the shy response.

 

“I smelled him.”

 

“Him?” Lex echoed in confusion, but Jason sat up a little beside him.

 

His blue eyes were wide in surprise and—yes, excitement. “Your mate.”

 

Conner nodded with a nervous smile. “He was there in the park, not long before us.”

 

‘Excellent. That almost certainly narrows it down to Gotham then.”

 

The teen nodded. “He smelled like you and Dick a little.”  
  


“Really?” Jason frowned in a thoughtful way. “Huh.”

 

“Is that all?” Lex pressed, wishing he didn’t feel so left out, though part of him was still enormously pleased that Jason and Conner had their own dialogue.

 

“He might be older than me,” said the teen, “but I’m not sure, and he works with computers.”

 

Lex fought a scowl at that. He did not want his son dating an older man. He felt Jason rubbing the tender side of his wrist and calmed down slowly.

 

Conner slowly continued. “He smelled like some other people too. Three men and a young woman. And something else, papery, books maybe?”

 

“Like a library?” Jason queried. “Or maybe that he reads a lot at home?”

 

“Maybe.” The tall young man was starting to look discouraged. “I didn't recognize any of the other people either.”

 

Jason reached for his hand and tugged the teen into the small space between them on the couch, hugging Conner’s muscular frame. “We’ll find him,” he promised.

 

“’Kay,” Conner said, voice muffled by Jason’s shoulder.

 

Lex found that, while he disapproved of his son dating someone older, he disliked even more seeing his son so dejected. It was like the afternoon he had taken the boy home, and his long journey to becoming the young man he was now.

 

If his son wanted his mate, then Lex would help him. That was really all there was to it.

 

 

~ End of this part. Thanks for reading! ~


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